Shoe-fastener



(No Model.)

0. R. STUART.

SHOE FASTENER.

No. 427,203. Patented May 6, 1890.

Fly ,2 Fig] Fag 3 'of the same.

UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES R. STUART, OF lVINSLOl/V, MAINE.

SHOE-FASTENER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 427,203, dated May 6, 1890.

Application filed June 14, 1889- Serial No. 314,269. (No model.)

T0 on whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES R. STUART, of Vinslow, in the county of Kennebec and State of Maine, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Shoe -Fasteners, of which the following is a specification.

' The object of my improvement is to provide for shoes, especially overshoes, a fastening which shall be cheap, simple, easily operated, and withal free from the liability to catch when coming in contact with-anythin g.

I will describe a fastener embodying my improvement, and then point out the novel features in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a top view of one part of a fastening embodying my improvement. Fig. 2 is a side edge view of the same. Fig. 3 is a view of the'under side of the same. Fig. 4 is a front view Fig. 5 is a top View of the other part of the fastening. Fig. 6 is an edge view of this part.

Similar letters of reference designate corresponding parts in all the figures.

A designates one part of the fastening. may be termed the hooked part.

B designates the other part of the fastening. The latter may be termed the slotted part.

The hooked part A is provided with a loop a, which may be fastened to a strap belonging to an overshoe. This hooked part may be fastened to the strap by passing the strap through the loop and then folding the strap backwardly upon itself and securing the folded portion to the main portion by stitching or otherwise. Beyond or forward of the loop C6 the hooked part A has arm-like portions a a These extend laterally in opposite directions. Their extremities are made concave or convex, and are bent upwardly to form projections a a Between the projections a a and at the forward edge of the part A there is a tongue-like portion, which is bent upwardlyand backwardly to form a hook a The part A curves continuously from the rear edge to the forward edge, so that its top is convex and its bottom concave. The projections a a are elevated, so that they extend as high upwardly as the hook a, and the hook a is wholly within the planes of the said projectionsthat is, the hook does not extend above the top plane of the projections or beyond the plane of the front edge of the projections. This part A may most advantageously be made of sheet metal.

The part B has a loop 1) similar to the loop a of the part A. This loop I) maybe secured in the same way to a strap. From the loop Z) there extends a shank-like portion 1), and beyond this are a series of slots 1) b b. Of these slots there maybe any suitable number. The edges of the shank-like portion 1) may be scalloped opposite the slots 1) b 19 if desirable. It will be seen that this part B is curved longitudinally from the back edge of the loop to the front edge of the shank-like portion. It is intended to be curved to conform to the longitudinal curve of the part A. The part B may most advantageously be made of sheet metal.

To secure a shoe having a fastening embodying my improvement, the two parts .of the fastening will be taken in the hand and pulled together to tighten the straps, and when this shall have been done one of the slots b b b of the part B will be engaged with the hook a of the part A. In thus manipulating the parts of the fastener the projections a a of the part A may be grasped as handles, and the edges of the shank-like portion of the part B may be held in the other hand. It will be seen that the projections C03 (0 being elevated can be readily grasped, and that, owing to the existence of these elevated projections, the part A may be held in such a manner as not to interfere at all with the engagement of the part B while held in the other hand.

To disengage the parts A and B, it will be only necessary to take hold of them, draw them slightly forward in the direction of their length, and then press down upon the proj ections a a for this latter action will then disengage the hook a from that slot b b or b of the part B with which such hook was en gaged.

A fastening embodying my invention is of particular advantage for the shoes of those persons who work where brush or other substances or articles will be liable to come in ICO contact with the fastenings, for owing to the elevation of the projections of the part A above that portion of the part I which engages with the part A the liability of the disengagement of the two parts of the fastening by the contact of brush or the like with the fastening will be very much reduced, if notentirely obviated.

lVhat I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a fastening for shoes, a sheet-metal part having at the middle of the front portion an upturned hook, curved lateral extensions or arms beyond the hook, and concavo-convex projections at the extremities of these lateral extensions or arms, substantially as specified.

2. In a fastening for shoes, a hooked part having at the middle of the front portion an upturned hook, lateral extensions or arms beyond the hook, and projections at the extremities'of these lateral extensions or arms, the said projections being elevated and the said hook being wholly within the planes of the projections, substantially as specified.

3. In a fastening for shoes, a hooked part having at the middle of the front portion an upturned hook, lateral extensions or arms beyond the hook, and projections at the extremities of these lateral extensions or arms, the said part being curved longitudinally, or, in other words, from the back edge, and the hook being wholly within the planes of the projections to the front edge, substantial y as speciiied.

4:. In a fastening for shoes, a part A, having a hook a and lateral extensions or arms terminating in elevated projections a a, the said hook being wholly within the planes of the projections, substantially as specified.

CHARLES R. STUART.

Witnesses: 7

S. S. BROWN, WV. DINsMoRE. 

